Life is fragile, even among the seemingly invincible young men who demonstrate uncommon athleticism and toughness each week in college football stadiums across the United States.
That reality has come home to the Great American Conference this month. Southeastern Oklahoma State University defensive lineman Dylan Sebock died on Oct. 8 as a result of injuries sustained in an automobile accident, and Southern Nazarene University safety Tyler Ulrich died on Oct. 15 following a traumatic injury sustained in a game.
“In the coaching community, we all try to band together in those times,” said Roy Thompson, Arkansas Tech University head football coach. “It’s important because it’s about more than football. Anytime a coach’s phone rings, you go into parent mode and the first thing you want to know is if your guys are okay. I’ve had the terrible situation of sitting with a parent who has lost their kid, and as much as the football team hurts, those parents hurt even more. Nothing in this world prepares you to sit with a parent in that situation.”
Arkansas Tech (3-5) will travel to Bethany, Okla., to play a game against Southern Nazarene (2-5) on Saturday, Oct. 31. It will be the Crimson Storm’s final home game of the season. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. at the SNU Football Stadium.
Live coverage of the ATU-SNU game will be available beginning at 1:30 p.m. Saturday on KCJC 102.3 FM, www.rivervalleyradio.com/river-country and www.arkansastechsports.com.
Southern Nazarene defeated Northwestern Oklahoma State University 60-37 last Saturday. The game was played just 24 hours after the Crimson Storm attended Ulrich’s funeral in his hometown of Azle, Texas.
SNU quarterback Maddox Olatunde rushed for 295 yards and led the Crimson Storm to its highest scoring output in a game since beginning its transition from NAIA to NCAA Division II in 2012. Olatunde was subsequently named D2Football.com national player of the week.
“Maddox is an elite runner,” said Thompson, who was defensive coordinator at Ouachita Baptist University when Olatunde spent a redshirt year with the Tigers in 2024. “He’s gotten bigger, stronger and faster, and don’t sleep on his ability to throw the football. We’re going to have to get a lot of hats around the football and limit his explosive plays.”
Arkansas Tech came within one play of its first win over a nationally top-20 ranked opponent in more than 11 years last week, but No. 19 Henderson State University blocked the Wonder Boys’ 29-yard field goal attempt with seven seconds remaining and the Reddies held on for a 28-27 victory.
As a result, Arkansas Tech must win its final three games of 2026 in order to finish with a winning record for a second consecutive season. The Wonder Boys will host Oklahoma Baptist University on Saturday, Nov. 7, and travel to nationally second-ranked Harding University on Saturday, Nov. 14.
“Our kids do a really good job of resetting every week,” said Thompson. “We’re trying to go 1-0 each week. I think our kids have done a good job not lingering too long on a loss and focusing on getting the next one.”
Talk to you on the radio.
Tech Tidbits is a column written by Sam Strasner, ATU director of university relations and radio play-by-play voice for ATU football and basketball.
